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The word mystery shop can make one wonder if there are shops that will have some mysteries to be unraveled by its visitors. Well, it is nothing like that. When a firm appoints an agent to visit its retail outlets or portable storage office secretively to assess the buyer satisfaction out there, the agent is said to shop in that outlet secretly, as he poses like a regular buyer to get first hand experience of the quality of buyer satisfaction that one can get in that outlet. He then evaluates the findings, makes reports based on them and furnishes the information to the management of the firm for further action.

The purpose of appointing agents to mystery shop is to retain the maximum number of old clients and attract new ones. The success of a business is determined by the strength of its client base. Earlier the complaints of the end users and clients were taken in the form of written feedbacks. The unsatisfied clients would leave the premises of the retail outlet disgusted. They did not have the patience or the time to fill in the complaint forms. Hence this method of taking customer feedback turned out to be a failure. Employing agents to get a firsthand experience of the satisfactory and dissatisfactory aspects of the clients is a much better option.

The agents are instructed by the firms to mystery shop for the non tangible issues of client satisfaction as the tangible elements like delivering whatever was promised is not very difficult to gauge. The intangible factors are the ones that are going to affect the client impression and satisfaction. Hence they are more important. There are many intangible factors. The clients tend to compare the level of their actual satisfaction to the level of the satisfaction they expected. Another intangible factor is the degree to which the clients trust the products and the facilities offered by the firm.

The clients are the makers or breakers of the career of a firm. Nowadays there are too many firms vying with each other to satisfy their clients. The clients have a tendency to compare the satisfaction that they get from one firm with that they get from another firm. The agent appointed by a firm to mystery shop finds out the degree of client satisfaction of individual clients by interviewing each and every one of them. He also senses the degree to which a client under consideration is satisfied and if he has developed any loyalty to the firm or its products and amenities. He also observes very finely if the extent to which the clients feel they are being respected and their needs are being attended to well by the staff that they interact with. Each and every buyer likes to be regarded as a unique person with creative tastes. Hence every buyer expects to be paid special attention however common it may be in reality.

The agent whose sole purpose of visiting a retail outlet is to mystery shop for his firm, checks other factors also apart from client satisfaction. He is entrusted with the responsibility to see if the staff is following the legal guidelines conveyed to them by their employing authorities. The next most vital thing that they check is that if the salespersons of the firm are being honest in every step of the transaction. The salesperson is supposed to give accurate information about a product or a feature to his client. He should not suppress any relevant information or use dishonesty to make a sale.

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As the district manager of a certain region of retail stores, Amanda wanted all of her stores to perform to the best of their abilities. She also wanted all of her employees to be on their toes at all times, making every last customer feel special and attended to. Amanda had also had some suspicions about one of her employees, as she had a phone call to her office from a disgruntled customer about this certain employee being rude to her. She knew that direct questioning would get her nowhere, and she knew that even a surprise visit to this branch of the store would not reveal what she wanted to know. Amanda decided it was high time to find mystery shopper services that would work for her company. She knew that with the secrecy of whomever would complete the task, this could be a possible solution to her problem, and she would know what to do about her problem employee. Also, she knew that it was the most direct way to find out overall how all of her employees were doing, and how the organization and cleanliness of the store were being handled. Amanda even would be able to outline the specific things she wished for the mystery shopper services to inform their worker to look for.

Linda works for mystery shopper services . When she got the call to go to Amandas store, it was one of many that she would be doing for the week. Linda has a child who she usually gets to take with her on most of her jobs, so she loaded up her daughter and headed to Amandas local retail store. She knew from what the mystery shopper services had told her and the forms they had given her, what she would need to especially keep an eye out for.

When she arrived at the store, she met with two very friendly and helpful employees, both of whom at different times during her shop helped her with things she needed or questions she had. She noted that the facility was fairly clean and very well organized. Linda was pleased with most of what she saw. When she and her daughter got to the register to pay for what they were going to purchase, the woman running the register did not smile at her. She barely lifted her head as she completed the transaction and handed Linda the change due to her. Linda smiled and asked how she was doing, and the employee frowned and said she would be doing better if she did not work at this store, she was way underpaid. Linda nodded in understanding and made a mental note.

When Linda got home that afternoon she filled out her report thoroughly, noting everything she had noticed, and emailed it immediately to the mystery shopper services . They in turn, after reviewing it and send it directly to Amanda, the district manager. The total turnover time from when Linda sat down to write her report to when it reached Amandas hands was approximately 48 hours. Amanda was very well pleased. She read over the report and noticed the employee who had been less than friendly. She was happy that the store had had no other problems, though and was generally clean and organized. Amanda ended up having a meeting with her rude employee to help her with tactics to be more agreeable and helpful to customers. The entire process was just what Amanda had wanted and expected.

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If you have ever heard of a secret shopping company , then you are probably familiar with a lot of the things that employees of these companies do, and the qualifications that are necessary to work for them. The idea of working for a secret shopping company has become very popular for many people, and for good reason. This is the job that a lot of people dream of but never actually find, right? The job that works around your hectic schedule, the job that can be a well earning second job, the job that can earn you many extra dollars just doing the things you would do anyway, like shopping and eating. Right? Well, maybe not.

There are actually, as you probably know, a lot of scams out there that are related to things like working for a secret shopping company . It seems like a straightforward job, but now days anyone will take something and try to twist it around. That is why you have to watch out for scams, or at the very least people who try to make working for a secret shopping company harder than it needs to be.

First of all, you have to watch for website or various businesses that offer to give you a list of various places you can work for a fee. Do not do this! There should be no reason that you should give money to anyone for this, there are certain websites with lists of these same places on them for free.

Secondly, do not think that this will be an easy job that will make you rich. It is surprising how many people think that working for a secret shopping company will earn them bundles of extra spending cash, when in reality it is a job that will only ever pay decently if you put much more than 100 percent into it. There is usually much traveling involved, and only rarely will you get reimbursed for gasoline expenditure. And while the time you travel does count toward the hours you eventually get paid for, even with this included, the time usually will not amount to much more than an hour or two, as most of these jobs do not take hardly any time at all. You will want to make sure that you know ahead of time if you will be getting paid in addition to the gift cards or reimbursement for merchandise.

Doing this kind of work is not always as simple as it sounds, either. It sounds easy. Just go to a store, shop around and observe the service, and then get paid for it, right? Well, there is of course a form to fill out afterward, and while this is not at all difficult in itself, the form is usually required to be sent back in within a very tight time frame, usually with a turnaround time of 48 hours at the most. Thus, when you think your job is done and you get home after a day of shopping or restaurant bouncing, you have to do your paperwork before you can truly relax!

Lastly, if this is the type of job you think you want to get into, whether full or part time, make sure you are on the same page with your employer. Talk to someone, in person if necessary, to know that you have the details ironed out and you know what to expect, and what is expected of you. This type of understanding can make it well worth it.

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Merchandising jobs are closely related to mystery shopping jobs. Merchandising is steady, well paid work whereas the shopper jobs are often lower in pay and become available less frequently. Merchandising is not as exciting as mystery shopping jobs, but the work is consistent.

Basically, merchandisers are responsible for maintaining the products a manufacturer is selling in a particular store or area. The products need to be presented in the best possible way to produce more sales. This way, the store selling the product for the manufacturer is able to sell more without having to hire its own sales people to keep the displays looking good. The merchandiser is responsible for straightening displays and setting up related products nearby, taking inventory and restocking shelves, reordering and product recalls. They will assemble promotional displays and coupon displays, as well as demonstrate the product. They will set up any marketing material such as banners and brochures. 

On the other hand, companies offering mystery shopping jobs hire someone to anonymously evaluate products, report on services and observe employee performances. The independent contracted shopper acts as a customer. They speak with employees, purchase products and sometimes make returns. They are responsible for reporting their observations related to their visit on an evaluation form.

Merchandising jobs are found in most retail stores representing industries such as home and garden items, toys, electronics, groceries, auto parts, and more. Mystery shopping jobs deal with any public business such as stores, restaurants and banks. They visit hair and nail salons, apartment complexes and gas stations as well as movie theaters, amusement parks and auto dealers. The shopper is paid to get haircuts, eat dinner, stop at the bank and watch a movie.

The pay between merchandising jobs and mystery shopping jobs vary. Merchandising pays around 9 dollars to 20 dollars an hour and is a high demand service. This means you can work as often as you like and basically on your own schedule. The work is not physically or mentally difficult making it ideal for all ages and situations. Assignments last between one to three hours from beginning to finish, although the complexity of the display requirements may take longer. You are being paid hourly for the work.

Mystery jobs are often done in your spare time and pay anywhere from 10 dollars up to 50 or 100 dollars or more, depending on the time and difficulty involved. Pay includes any reimbursement of purchases. Working in their spare time, someone can earn 100 dollars or more a month while a full time consistent shopper can earn over forty thousand dollars a year. The full time shopper will have to balance assignments that have different requirements, due dates and reporting styles. The shopper needs to be organized and very systematic. 

To be a shopper you can be any adult aged female or male, employed, unemployed, self employed or full time home maker or retiree. You should be observant and reliable with good communication skills and the ability to follow directions. No degree is required but experience in customer service is helpful. 

Merchandising jobs tend to be physical with less paperwork and very little evaluation. Mystery buyers spend a lot of time filling out the necessary reports and questionnaires.

The difference between merchandising jobs or a mystery shopping jobs are minimal. The similarities of the merchandiser and the shopper include visiting retail establishments to check on products and services while the differences are mainly in the pay and consistency. Secrecy shopping and merchandising can be combined to create an ideal balance of assignments to give you the maximum amount of work and experience.

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What are we here to do? What is your job function when you come into work and get yourself ready for the day that is ahead of you? When you put on your combat shoes and strap up your helmet to go to war, do you truly know what is expected of you out there on the battlefield? In self storage, mostly everyone understands what they are there to do, but do they decide to execute it. How can we ensure that what we expect as property owners is being executed out there with all of the customers that enter our building? The best thing out there currently is secret shopping.

Secret shopping helps address some of the things that bother most people in the self storage world. One of them is the lack of personalized service. Some managers out there in the self storage world just treat callers and customers as if they are just a transaction. The caller asks for a price and then their wishes are met. We give them the price. Unfortunately, that is usually the end of the call. Many of us reading this blog might not know a lot about self storage, but we do not know the ins and outs of all business we need to do. With secret shopping, we can ensure that our associates are taking care of the caller completely. This is the best way to know what is truly being said in the interactions between our managers and the clients we want to turn into renters. All associates should step in to the customers shoes when trying to serve them. How would you like to be treated when you are shopping for something that you are in need of?

With secret shopping, we get the unique opportunity to try to understand what the caller or customer truly wants and we can see what else we need to do to get more clients into our rental facility. Take a step back. How do you like to be treated when you enter a customer service environment when you know someone is going to try to sell you something? Most would say they like to be treated as if they are a person wherever they go. They want to feel that their needs are different from the next person. Now most people despise the over the top, wishy washy, hey would like you a drink of water sales environments. On that note, it still makes most feel good that someone is at least trying to be different. Most people do not visit places that do not even try to be helpful. Sometimes, as customers, we are forced to go to those non-helpful places to get our needs satisfied. You do not want to be that self storage facility that people just go to because they have to. You should want your environment to be inviting. 

With most environments, it is hard for most managers to see how their employees are treating the customers. With secret shopping, it allows us to get a true gage how the customer is served. To all the self storage managers out there, next time you are on the phone or a customer walks in, just think about how you want to be treated. Do not let the last customer who was angry deter you from better servicing the next. Do not let what is going on at home hinder you from blowing the next customers socks off with your service. You can never know if you are talking to a secret shopping agent who is evaluating your level of customer service. Put yourself in their shoes, how do you want to be treated if you walked through the doors of a self storage facility?

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Self storage has become a very competitive industry. There are many parts of the country where it is not uncommon to see several different facilities within a short distance of one another. And nowadays almost all self storage companies provide their tenants with basically the same types of security and amenities. They all have some kind of access panel so only customers can get into the area. They are equipped with door alarms and video cameras. And most locations usually have an onsite manager living on the property. So to get a step ahead on the competition, many self storage businesses have hired a mystery shopping company to help.

If two self storage facilities are located very close to each other, and offer virtually the same amenities and prices, then what differentiates the two of them? A mystery shopping evaluator knows that it is the people. And the excellent customer service that these people are able to provide. 

Everyone is accustomed to okay customer service in this day and age. We see it everyday at the bank and the grocery store and the dry cleaners. If someone was extremely rude or incompetent, then that would stand out in our minds. But as long as the customer service is all right, then everything is, well, okay. A mystery shopping evaluator is able to improve the customer service from just ho hum to fantastic!

The customer service at a top notched self storage facility needs to be more than just okay. Okay is what everyone has, and what every patron is expecting. A mystery shopping evaluator knows that going above and beyond okay, to excellent customer service, is what is going bring about devoted customers. 

These elated tenants are the people that are going to rave about the self storage facility, tell their friends and families and coworkers how fantastic this location is. And all mystery shopping evaluators know that word of mouth is the best and the least expensive form of advertising available. Plus, these loyal customers will keep coming back to this self storage location anytime they need storage, or boxes, or a rental truck, etc. This alone pays for the costs of hiring a mystery shopping company!

A mystery shopping evaluator knows all self storage employees need to have excellent product knowledge. They need to be able to give a good visual of a unit size over the telephone or via email to a customer. They need to know what size of a self storage unit is going to work the best in each individual situation. Staff members should be able to give advice as to how a renter should stack their boxes to best take advantage of the unit height. And employees need to be able to assist customers with purchasing moving and storage supplies.

A mystery shopping evaluator checks to make certain that all employees must be able to give excellent directions to the facility. They need to be aware of well known landmarks to give to the locals, while at the same time giving detailed and easy to follow directions to out of towners or someone new to the area. If there are several self storage facilities in the area, then the worker needs to make it easy for the customer to know which location to go to. For example, tell a caller that it is the first driveway past the stoplight, or the building with the red roof. However, telling a potential customer that you are the facility located next to Moms self storage is not a good idea.

A mystery shopping evaluator knows that excellent customer service includes self storage employees being able to recommend movers to tenants that are moving into or out of a self storage unit. Great employees can also recommend nonprofit organizations that are willing to haul away unwanted furniture and appliances.

Above all else, a mystery shopping evaluator is looking for self storage employees that appear happy and excited about their job. This attitude will show in their customer service skills and in the way they treat people around them.

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The kiosk can be a wonderful asset to any type of property management company. Newspaper and soda companies have used them for a very long time. The banking and airline industries have been using them for the past few decades. And in the last several years, the kiosk has become a very common property management tool at self storage facilities.

These interactive computer terminals are user friendly and take up very little space. They are connected to the Internet so everything is in real time. These features make the kiosk a perfect property management tool for any sized self storage company, from a small satellite location all the way up to a huge facility located in the middle of a big city. 

The kiosk can rent storage units, take payments, and sell locks and insurance. It is able to do many of the things that a self storage employee can do. The advantage to having a person working at a storage facility is the warm and fuzzy feeling that can come with human contact. The advantage to employing an automated property management kiosk at the location is that the machine does not call in sick, ask for a raise, or demand benefits. 

The kiosk allows customers to rent a new self storage unit without having to rely on a self storage employee. It lets the tenant see a virtual map of the various sized units that are available. This property management device then shows them the different prices and any specials that are currently going on. The customer next picks which unit will work the best for them and proceeds to rent their unit using the kiosk. The new lessee can pay for the unit, get their gate code, and then move into the storage space immediately.

The property management kiosk usually has a camera to take pictures of the new renter and scanners for a copy of a fingerprint and drivers license. The customer signs a digital signature reader. They are able to pay using cash, check, or credit or debit card. Everything is completely legal and secure. An intercom is often available that connects to a self storage employee located offsite or in a call center, in case the new tenant has any questions or problems.

A small self storage location or a satellite property can benefit from using a kiosk. The self storage property management company does not have to hire a person to simply sit around the location, waiting for a customer to arrive. 

A medium sized self storage location can take advantage of a kiosk as well. Customers are able to come to the location after hours and on holidays to pay their bill. They do not have to worry about their money being lost in the mail or misplaced in a drop box. And the property management company can keep costs down by not having to pay an employee overtime, or differential for working Sundays, or time and a half for working holidays.  

A large self storage facility can also benefit from a kiosk. These locations are usually extremely busy and very hectic, with a lot of customers and employees milling around. Tenants do not have to stand in line waiting for a self storage worker in order to rent a unit or make a payment. They can use the property management kiosk and help themselves.

Labor is a large chunk of the costs for running any business, including self storage. The kiosk is a great property management tool that can help alleviate the cost of that labor. This of course means a larger profit for the proprietor of the self storage company.

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Spring is here! Boy this has been a long cold snowy winter. For some states with record-breaking snowfalls they are probably really ready to see spring. Now the sun has come out. The snow has stopped, and the robins are out starting to sing. The daffodils are starting to bloom, and yes, the self storage and secret shopping calls are starting to flow. Everyone love spring . Taking calls for self storage and make calls for secret shopping clients all over the great US is what some companies do. Why do self storage people love spring?  The college students start calling for self storage and taking more secret shopping calls? This early in the game it is probably their parents who are calling in now for self storage. Yes, students no matter what generation are still procrastinators. But we have a few students who will call early. Especially if they have been in school for a few years and remember last year when the self storage facility were filled and could not find a small space.

There are many self storage and secret shopping facilities in the US. Some self storage companies have many facilities and their facilities fill up completely. And they are big stores, lots of self storage and the need for secret shopping services. It is not only the students that fill them up but they do take the majority of the units. Do not think that if you have great business coming in the door that you do not need secret shopping services. Secret shopping is a great way to monitor your self storage business.
 
Most students want a 5×5 space. All they have are dorm things, a 5×5 space is about the size of small bathroom so this size works perfect for them. And besides they are so excited about leaving for the summer they just throw their things in there. Now the ones who are smart about it, will get with several of there friends and get a larger self storage unit and split the cost. That really saves then some money, and we all have heard of the poor college students who eat noodles all semester long. So they like saving money.
 
The 10×10 size usually works well for them. That is a size like a small bedroom size. And really it would hold a full bedroom and living room, some kitchen things and maybe even a washer and dryer just depending on how they utilize the space. So the students will get with three or four friends put their things in together and save money. Only thing with this is one person does have to be responsible for the bill.
 
The self storage and secret shopping industry has grown so much in college towns like Columbia, Missouri. The self storage companies with many locations can still grow. So they will be for sure to help accommodate a lot of students in their self storage needs. And they will probably need more secret shopping services as well. Secret shopping can help your business grow. Try secret shopping for your self storage buisness.  

Now May will come and those procrastinators will call and we will try to the best of our ability to find them a self storage unit. If there is not a small one left then we will suggest maybe sharing with friends but nonetheless we will try to help, and hope we still have something left.

So spring is here. The birds are singing the daffodils are blooming and if you are a student do not procrastinate try something new this year, call early.

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Our vehicle is the second biggest investment most Americans make, only behind the purchase of a home. And we Americans have had a long going love affair with our cars, trucks, SUVs, etc. Our choice of transportation gives us our independence and our ability to come and go as we please. It gives us a sense of security as we transport our family and friends. And it helps us define our social status. Our vehicles are a huge part of our lives!

People have a lot of different choices when it comes to purchasing a vehicle. They can buy one that is foreign or domestic, new or used, economically friendly or a gas guzzler. They can purchase it from a neighbor or an auto auction or a franchise. They can buy a car for the family or one for a teenager or a fun sports car for themselves. The choices just go on and on.
 
Because of all of the choices available to the consumer, the retail end of the automotive industry is very competitive. And what better way to keep up with the competition than to hire a mystery shopper!

A mystery shopper for the car business can be employed by any number of different people or companies.  The home office of a major brand may hire a mystery shopper to see how well the local franchise is doing, and how well they are abiding by the national guidelines. Are sales down at the local dealership because the employees are not taking advantage of the national rebate campaign that is underway?  Are the salespeople not emphasizing all of the extras that come standard with the newest model?  Is the branch manager not encouraging her sales staff to get customers to use their in-house financing options?  The home office can keep an eye on local dealerships by hiring a mystery shopper to report to them.

A rival car dealer may hire a mystery shopper to secretly shop the competition. The rival may use a mystery shopper to see if they can pick up any new tips or ideas. Does the competition have better sales gimmicks in place? Are their salespeople happier or maybe hungrier? Do they have a better product?  A mystery shopper can report back with the details.

Recently a local magazine hired a female mystery shopper to secretly shop a neighborhood car dealership.  The mystery shopper was to make note of things such as how seriously she was treated as a customer, how well salespeople listened to her, and how she felt about her overall experience. 

The mystery shopper went to a large dealership that sold both new and used cars. She rode up and down the different aisles of autos with her husband at the wheel of their car. The mystery shopper was impressed that even thought the weather was dreary and cold, a salesman quickly came to their car. Once the salesman found out the female in the car was doing the buying he immediately focused his attention on her. This got high marks from the mystery shopper. From there however, the experience of the mystery shopper went downhill. 

Once everyone went inside to the large showroom floor, the mystery shopper explained to the salesmen what she was looking to purchase. She wanted a used, reliable sedan that was safe and economical to drive. She also explained the small monthly allotment she had for a payment. The salesmen nodded his head and said he completely understood. 

Within minutes, however, the salesman was talking about how he could get her into a brand new SUV with all of the extras. And he told her it was just a few dollars more than the cost of a used sedan. The few dollars more turned out to be over one and a half times more for a car payment and twice as much more for auto insurance.
 
And the mystery shopper was left to ponder. Did the salesman not hear what she was saying because he was not listening to her, or because she was a female, or because he could make a higher commission on the SUV?

Always listen to your customer!

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Mystery shops are made by our secret shopping company everyday. Our trained team of mystery shoppers is an asset to our secret shopping company and yours. We value their self storage, property management, and senior housing calling ability. Our secret shopping company is not the biggest secret shopping company out there but we are great. We are also not the cheapest secret shopping company out there either. Cheap does not equal quality in most cases involving secret shopping call and secret shopping evaluations. Our mystery shoppers will call our clients and pretend to be real customers with storage needs. Our goal is to see how the property manager handles the call and the caller. Our secret shopping company then evaluates the call and it is sent to the client.

Do you have a secret shopping company for your business? There are many different types of secret shopping companies out there that specialize in certain types of mystery shopping. Some shopping malls will even shop their own stores to make sure the customer service is being delivered to each and every customer. If you are looking for a secret shopping company to evaluate your staff, your best bet is to look on the Internet.

Our secret shopping company has found that you just cannot hire someone to answer the phone at your self storage facility. That person has to be able to multi task with all their daily duties and provide great customer service. The phone ringing in the background can sometimes cause a headache to those employees who do not know how to handle it. The person answering the phone at your self storage facility must be able to be courteous, helpful, professional, knowledgeable and more to get the callers business. If the person answering the phone at your self storage facility sounds and acts like a dud, then chances are the caller will not ever make it to the site. Heck, you might be able to train a parrot to answer the phone, rattle off prices and say goodbye. And that parrot will work for food! But that is not what we want. We want a warm smiling face, a friendly handshake, and a professional person in the office. And if that person can be all of those things, they should be able to convey that warmness, professionalism and friendliness over the phone as well.

Our companies advice to your company, hire a secret shopping company. When you do, you will find that when you company uses the mystery shopping evaluation and calls that your sales will increase. Will your sales increase? Yes, because you are providing your self storage employees with the tools to make their sales presentation better. And once their sales presentation is better they will gain more self storage rentals. And more self storage rentals will help your self storage business grow.

Customer service is so important these days and the difference in companies could be the level of customer service that they offer. Competition is stiff and with inflated gas prices, potential customers are looking for a quality self storage rental that meets their needs. Let a secret shopping company help your business with their customer service and sales skills. It will be an investment that will pay off for you, your employees and your business.

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